Funny Stories from My Past and Future

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Month: November 2013

On a recent trip to Iceland, I learned to admire the people and their way of life. Good health seems to be a cornerstone of their society. The people are amazingly fit, and they incorporate swimming and skiing into their lifestyles. Many of these photos were taken by my sister Nancy. She has an eye for photography.

The natural beauty of Iceland is incredible. The Northern Lights

THE GEYSERS

THE WATERFALLS

THE HARBORS AND SHIPS

This is a replica of a Viking ship.

THE CHURCHES

Art is everywhere. Akureyri is the city of love. Even its red lights have a heart.

The View from the Concert Hall in Rekyavik

Rock People at the Entrance to a Greenhouse

The Interior of a Small Church

the grass-fed lamb and beef

In the summer the sheep are sent up into the hills, where they roam freely. At the beginning of winter, riders from Iceland and other countries round up the flocks on horseback and bring them down into the shelters. The grocery stores carry horse equipment.

The Icelandic horse is a beautiful creature, with legs shorter than other horses. We visited the Gauksmyri Horse Farm.

While most horses have only four gaits, the Icelandic horse has a fifth, the tolt, which is so smooth that the rider can go around the track without spilling the beer.

Once the sheep have been brought down into the valleys, children go through the herds and look for ear markings to allow the farmers to gather their sheep for sheltering during the winter.

THE WHALE WATCHING

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa which takes its mineral-filled water from a nearby geothermal power plant called Svartsengi. One of our guides said that Icelanders got the idea for using geothermal power from foreign exchange students from Boise, Idaho. It may be a legend, but it made me smile.

We had planned to go to Greenland, but the wind was so strong that we were not sure the plane would land. This waterfall usually flows downward instead of sideways.

So we reluctantly flew back to the US.

I hope to return to Iceland one day. I also want to go to Greenland.

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